Daddy's Girl
by Crystalkei
Summary: A missing or post episode scene where Mark has a bit of an emotional moment due to recent events. Post episode 1x05 Bylaw. Reynolds x Maddy through Jim's eyes.


There was someone pounding on the door. Jim turned to look at the clock, 2:00 a.m. Who could be a the door? "Maddy," a voice yelled from the other side of the door. Jim cringed. What the hell was Reynolds doing making such a racket at this hour? Jim sat up and placed his feet on the cool floor. Reynolds hollered for Maddy again and Jim shook his head. That kid was going to get a piece of his mind about this kind of behavior. He rushed to the door without even grabbing a shirt. By the time he reached the door he was angry and just a bit chilly.

"If you wake up one other person in this house, I swear to God I will end your life," Jim said quietly, but sternly. Instead of his menacing words intimidating a sloppy, probably drunk Reynolds, they emboldened the young man.

"Maddy," he yelled again trying to glance behind Jim and even trying to walk into the house. Jim put a hand on his chest and pushed him back with as little force as necessary. He was drunk, Jim could smell it on his breath.

"There's absolutely no good reason you need to talk to my daughter at two in the morning, soldier," Jim said hoping the formal title would snap some sense into the kid. "You've had a rough couple of days, just go home before you do something you'll regret." Reynolds scoffed and backed out of Jim's reach.

"Mark?" Jim hung his head in frustration as Reynolds perked up. "What's going on?"

"Your suitor is on his way home, Maddy," Jim explained. "Go back to bed."

"No, Maddy don't!" Reynolds pleaded. "I just needed to talk to you for just a minute." He turned those sad eyes on Jim but Jim wasn't at all swayed by them. He shook his head.

"Dad," Maddy started with a sigh, "I'll talk to him for just a minute." She sounded weary and he wondered when she became so mature. She certainly didn't sound like a girl a twitter with affection for her boyfriend. She sounded just as frustrated as he was.

"Fine, but we're going inside," Jim said gruffly. Maddy turned back and Jim took a moment to address Reynolds. "You're on my list, pal." For the first time he deflated a bit and Jim caught a flash of embarrassment in the young man's eyes.

In the house, Maddy had a large glass of water and some aspirin that she handed Mark as he sat on the couch next to her. Jim sat at the table, a few feet away from them. He figured that was as much privacy as they'd be afforded in the middle of the night. He busied himself with a data pad.

"Is this about Foster and Curran?" Maddy asked him. "I thought you might want to talk about it, but I didn't think…"

"I'm sorry," Reynolds said to her and then turned back to Jim. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come, this is inappropriate." Jim watched Maddy put a hand on Reynolds face causing him to look back at her.

"Stop," she said forcefully but kindly. "You didn't want to talk about it four hours ago but you want to talk about it now, so we're going to do it now. You've already woken half of my house up." Jim couldn't help the small smile on his face. She'd surpassed her mother's will. She was a commanding woman when she wanted to be.

"I just, two of my friends," he said slowly and still a little slurred. "They're gone. One killed the other. Who am I supposed to trust now? Those guys, Curran, I mean, he had my back. When we'd go out, anytime, I trusted him with my life." Jim watched Reynolds' face almost break, but he seemed to pull himself together at the last moment. "I needed to see you because I can trust you. Right? You aren't going to leave me, you're safe and I can trust you."

"Oh Mark," Maddy said almost too quiet for Jim to hear before she pulled Reynolds to her in a hug. He was sure she was saying more to him, but he could no longer discern it.

Jim was a bit shocked at the openness that the soldier spoke to his daughter with and the way she replied so easily. He felt a tightness in his chest. These two people in front of him, they were adults. His daughter was an adult and that young man in front of her was a man and he was watching two people in a relationship deal with a traumatic situation. Maddy was no longer his little girl but a woman with such poise and depth that he was saddened and proud at the same time. Watching them felt wrong, like he was invading a private moment. But the moment passed soon as Reynolds pulled away and turned to Jim nervously.

"I should go," he said glancing back to Maddy. He winced as if just remembering something. "I have an early shift."

"Maddy," Jim said gesturing her over. She looked at him perplexed. "He can stay on the couch," he whispered to Maddy when she stood in front of him. "I'm sure Taylor has some rules about drunk and disorderly." Maddy lifted the corner of her mouth. "But you sleep in your bed. And he sleeps on the couch." Maddy made a face like she was offended at the thought of anything else happening. "And he keeps all his clothes on," Jim added quickly hoping he covered all his bases. Maddy just rolled her eyes and went back to Reynolds.

"Just lay down, I'm going to get you a pillow and a blanket," she said sweetly. "And some more water." When Maddy walked off, Reynolds turned to Jim nervously.

"You stay on that couch, buddy. Nowhere else. I don't care if you have to piss. You stay on that couch." Mark gulped. Jim left him with one last glare before heading back to his bedroom.

"Good morning, sunshine," Jim greeted a hung over Reynolds. The soldier shrunk back and closed his eyes tighter. But when Jim cleared his throat he seemed to remember where he was. Reynolds stood up so quickly he looked a little queasy when he looked at Jim. "Here's a glass of water and two more aspirin." Reynolds took the offered goods gratefully.

"I'm really sorry-" he started to say but Jim cut him off.

"You had a lot going on, kid. Just don't let it happen again." When Reynolds relaxed, Jim added, "I forgot to mention, if you ever consume any amount of alcohol around Maddy, or you get a wild hair to give some to her, I will shoot you."

"Yes, sir," Reynolds said seriously.

"Alright," Jim said. "Get out of here." As he headed for the door he turned once more.

"Can you tell Maddy," he said but Jim shook his head.

"I'm sure the two of you will run into each other at some point today," he said almost smiling. "Tell her yourself. Now go on," he said shooing him out the door.

Jim watched the young man walk away and wondered how long he'd get to play the protective father to Maddy. Her heart didn't really belong to her daddy anymore and the worst part was, despite his deepest desire not to, he did like Mark Reynolds. He was a good man and Jim knew he would treat Maddy well. Jim just hoped he got to keep her a little bit longer.


End file.
